Another month is in the books. I know I was busy, but it did feel as if the month went past at a more normal speed. Or else I’m just wishfully thinking it did.
Highlights from the month include my most recent trip to Mexico, Connor’s excellent tuba solo at the region’s solo and ensemble contest, I earned some man points and changed out the circuit board on my electric oven, and Jim finally came home for more than a day or two.
On my New Year’s Resolutions, I may have had one or two cups of coffee but never more than one at a time. I have even managed to go without tea or coffee for a day or two without getting a massive headache. That is exactly what I wanted to accomplish and just feel better. The exercise regime has been a bit more difficult to maintain. We’re still doing it but not as regularly as after-school activities start to build up again. Weight-wise, I wish I had good news on that front. I’m exercising regularly and know I’m getting stronger and more cardiovascularly fit, but I can’t seem to drop the weight, even with counting calories, making one of my meals a liquid, e.g. protein shake or juice smoothie. I’m not giving up though and am in it for the long haul.
I am kicking butt on a reading front. This month I read or listened to a grand total of 17 books and 4,704 pages, four of which were audiobooks worth 29 hours and 14 minutes. – one book more than last month and two pages less. Go figure. According to Goodreads, I am on track to read 200 books this year. I’m just impressed that I am doing so well, considering that most of these were not short books in any fashion. I like it though!
I like it even more that I finally, finally finished reading the last non-2013 review copy I had on my shelves. YAY!!! Being caught up on review copies is such a great feeling. I not only feel timely now, but I am can remember exactly why I requested/accepted them in the first place – which is something that becomes difficult to remember the longer a book has been on your shelves. Now, authors need to stop writing such amazing books so that I can tackle some of those on my shelves!
So, what did I read this month? Here’s the “official” list:
- The Truth About Love And Lightning by Susan McBride
- The Dinner by Herman Koch
- Farewell, Dorothy Parker by Ellen Meister
- The Different Girl by Gordon Dahlquist
- The Shining by Stephen King
- The Madness Underneath by Maureen Johnson
- The Demi-Monde: Winter by Rod Rees
- Quiet by Susan Cain
- The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
- The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
- The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach
- Unremembered by Jessica Brody
- Lessons in French by Hilary Reyl
- Prisoner B-3087 by Alan Gratz
- The Guilty One by Lisa Ballantyne
- Oleander Girl by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
- The Trophy Bride’s Tale by Cyrilla Barr
My favorites of the month were The Demi-Monde: Winter by Rod Rees, The Madness Underneath by Maureen Johnson and The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. Unremembered by Jessica Brody comes in a close fourth. All four are very different but stellar in their own way.
Even better, all of them were books I’ve had on my shelves before the beginning of the new year – in honor of The TBR Double Dog Dare, and I was able to knock out the remaining categories in the What’s In A Name Challenge. That’s right. It’s March 2nd, and I already finished the What’s In A Name Challenge. I didn’t even plan that!
How did you do this month? Are you glad it is over or wishing that March would hold off just a bit longer? What was your favorite read this month?
Thanks, Tif!
You have had a GREAT start to your year in everything!! Yeah!!!!! 🙂
Girl, I saw your post. February was a great month for you! Here's hoping we can both kick some reading boot-ay in March!
Hang in there, Bryan! If you don't give up on getting healthy, then I won't. We need Amanda to kick our collective butts and go all Jillian Michaels on us! 😉
The Shining wasn't SO bad, was it? You had to find something redeeming about it to make it worth having read. Those freaky-deaky topiaries? Jack's return to consciousness telling Danny to run at the end? Something?
Here's to a better March for you on both fronts!
Thanks, girl! We are both on a roll!
Oh, I have four or five review books sitting on my shelf. It's the e-galleys that have absolutely killed me. I was doing so well with rationing how many I request, but April and May definitely got away from me. Good think e-galleys are typically faster reads!
You know, I have yet to read anything by Beth Kephart. I thought about requesting Small Damages but didn't. Someday, I will remedy this error.
February was an awful reading month for me but you absolutely kicked butt! Congratulations! I hope March is another great reading month for you.
I haven't been doing well on the exercise front either. So I know how you feel. I'm hoping to turn it around this month – and also lose weight after staying steady here for a while.
As for your reading, way to go. Congratulations! I only read two books sadly and one of them was, as you know, a sad excuse for a book (The Shining). 😉
Nice February chicky! Here's to another great month 🙂
Congrats on clearing out last year's review copies! I accomplished that a couple weeks ago, too, and it felt so good. I only have four or five review books sitting on my shelf right now – and it's nice not to feel overwhelmed.
My favorite read from February would be Small Damages by Beth Kephart – so good.